Man attempted to headbutt pilot on transatlantic flight

An unruly passenger tried to headbutt the captain of a transatlantic aircraft that was forced to divert to Shannon airport yesterday.

At Ennis District Court yesterday, Judge Patrick Durcan said 35-year-old Australian Damian Kington “had endangered the safety of the crew and his fellow passengers” on the British Airways service to London.

Kington was one of 30 passengers on board the business class 32-seater service between New York’s JFK and London City.

He heads a marketing team for a high-profile investment company in New York.

Judge Durcan said: “Being on board a small aircraft over the Atlantic faced with someone trying to headbutt the captain is very frightening.

“This was a small aeroplane with a small crew. It still required the intervention of the captain and the response he received was an attempted headbutting for him.

“In my view, the seriousness of this is such that the most severe penalties that can be imposed will be imposed.”

The maximum penalty under which the two air rage charges Kington admitted is four months in jail.

In his statement to gardaí, captain and commander of the aircraft, Mike Jones, said Kington “was effing and blinding in the galleyway” after being earlier given a written warning that he must remain in his seat and stop his unruly behaviour.

Two passengers sitting near Kington first brought his disruption to the attention of the crew after he had stood over them in an intimidating manner and called them paedophiles.

Capt Jones told gardaí in the galley of the plane: “[Kington] swore at me, pushed me and tried to headbutt me.

“I stepped back to avoid getting a head butt and then restrained him. It took two of us to restrain him.

“At this point, I considered him a serious risk to passengers and to the safety of the flight.”

Kington was handcuffed, and crew members “had to struggle to restrain him”.

Along with the handcuffs, Kington was secured to his seat with nylon straps.

Una Moylan, solicitor for Kington, said her client has no recollection of the incident and was mortified when she read out Garda statements to him.

“He describes himself as a very gentle soul and told me that he had never in his life tried to headbutt someone before and this is completely out of character for him,” said Ms Moylan. “He is mortified and genuinely remorseful.”

Ms Moylan said Kington took prescribed medication, a Zanex, and an Ambien tablet in an effort to sleep, and drank four or five small bottles on wine. “He had never mixed these drugs and had never taken them with drink,” said Ms Moylan.

Judge Durcan said: “I am not really interested in incarcerating your client, but I am interested to ensure that those who have suffered loss are compensated.”

He adjourned the case until tomorrow at Ennis District Court to allow the issue of compensation to BA be addressed and to also determine if Kington has convictions in other countries.